The Dog that Bites the Hand of its Master
by Taihen na otaku
Summary: They call them dogs of the military, but even a dog has its limits. How long will it before he realises that his loyalty can only serve him so far. How much is that loyalty worth? Is it all that he has left when everyone else is gone?


_In FMA, I would have like the dog of the military thing to have been played up well. I'm planning a long one for this folks, with some awesome plot twists coming in a little later. Expect a delving into the dark pasts of some of the characters, hopefully it will give them some depth. It's also heavy, but I think its decent enough. Please look forward to it._

**The Dog that bites the Hand of its Master**

**Chapter 1 – Red Snow**

He could just barely make out a silhouette through the thick grey smoke that still spewed out from the black ruins of Rizenbul.

"My home..." Ed thought as he slowly looked up from his hands that still clenched the charcoal and glowing splinters beneath him. He looked up. It was snowing. Millions of tiny shreds of ash floated down from the heavens, shining red against the flames that were still busy consuming the skeleton of Winry's house. Red snow.

The figure was becoming clearer now. The smoke billowing around him gave way to colour and a semblance of outline. He could see blue, a blue uniform; and a black trench coat, high around the collar. His shirt was torn twice, from his shoulder down to his belt. Ed thought he saw scars under his starched white shirt.

The smoke was almost clear now. On his right hand he saw a glove. A white glove, with a red transmutation circle on it, still sparking from a day of use.

"Roy..." Ed mumbled, still gasping for breath and trying to hold back the tears. He just barely managed to stagger to his feet, his dented and battered body aching. His strength all but gone, he was holding onto the last shard of pride he still had left.

"Roy Mustang. The... The Flame Alchemist" he said with a heavy voice that emphasised each and every word.

This was not the first time his home was burnt to cinders. The tears that fell from his face sizzled as they hit the ground.

Ed's composure was breaking. He started screaming,

"Why? Why Rizenbul? Why? Why? WHY?" He was screaming like an impatient child, coughing and sputtering. Roy's open hand caught Ed mid-sentence,

"Why? I thought we were frien-". Ed just caught the look in Roy's dark eyes as his tired and now useless body fell helplessly to the ground. Ed touched he cheek, stunned, trying to focus his vision.

They stayed like that for a long while. Then Roy began to speak.

"Have you forgotten already?" Roy said, hardly moving his lips, "Have you forgetten what they call us?". Ed didn't answer, and Roy turn his back to him.

Ed just managed to lift his head just enough to whisper. "Roy... Roy, listen." he said. Roy didn't turn around. Ed coughed and said, "Roy, listen to me. Do you remember when Hughes-chuusa died?"

Roy bit his lip, but Ed couldn't see it. He grunted affirmatively, "Mnm...".

Ed's voice was getting hoarse. He growled, "Roy... tell me."

"Tell me that when you stood over his grave, in front of his wife and child... tell me you gave one shit about 'Dogs of the Military'! Tell me you didn't want to find Envy and rip his heart out in front of him! Tell me..." Ed descended into coughing. "Tell me... tell me that you saluted and carried calmly on every time you had to bury someone you knew. Just try and tell me! I know y..." Ed said, coughing, struggling to clear out his airway long enough for him to speak. He was whispering again. "I know you better than that."

It was true. Ed knew him better than that. Ever since he joined the military his neat catch-phrase "Dogs of the military" absolved him of any guilt he might have had. It kept his sane during the massacres at Ishbal, it soothed his torn heart every time he had to betray a friend. And now he was trying to mend himself, because now he was feeling the most guilty of all.

_Whew, finished the first chapter, more to come indeed. Constructive criticism appreciated!_


End file.
